Laparoscopic Hernia Repair

A hernia is a protrusion of abdominal content (preperitoneal fat, omentum or abdominal organs) through an abdominal wall defect. Anatomically the most important features of a hernia are the hernial orifice and the hernia (peritoneal) sac, if present. The hernial orifice is represented by the primary defect in the aponeurotic layer of the abdomen, and the hernial sac by the bulging peritoneum. The neck of the hernial sac is located at the hernial orifice. As the French anatomist Henri Fruchaud (1894-1960) already stated, hernias of the abdominal wall occur in areas where aponeurosis and fascia are lacking the protective support of muscles (Fruchaud, 1953). Most of these weak areas are anatomically present in the abdominal wall congenitally, others may be acquired during life, for example by surgery. The uncovered weak aponeurotic areas are subject to elevated intra-abdominal pressures and give way if they deteriorate or represent anatomic varieties. The common sites of herniation of the abdominal wall are the groin, the umbilicus, the linea alba, the semilunar line of Spigel, the diaphragm and surgical incisions. In addition, more exceptionally obturator hernias and hernias of the triangle of Petit are also encountered. Hernias can broadly be classified into congenital and acquired types. Congenital hernias typically occur at the groin, although they may be observed at other locations such as the umbilicus or diaphragm. Abdominal wall hernias represent a common issue in general surgical practice. The definitive treatment of all hernias, regardless of their origin or type, is surgical repair. It is suggested that a strategy of watchful waiting rather than surgery can be considered in patients with asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic inguinal and incisional hernia. The risks of delayed surgery are primarily related to the risks of incarceration and strangulation, which necessities emergency surgery. Elective surgical repair should be considered if the hernia is symptomatic, in case of an increased risk for incarceration or if the size of the hernia complicates dressing or activities of daily living. Hernias that are less likely to incarcerate include upper abdominal hernias, hernias with an abdominal wall defect larger than 7-8cm and hernias less than 1 cm in diameter. The likelihood of incarceration decreases as the hernia defect increases in size since it is less likely that intestinal or visceral contents will become caught by a narrow neck of the hernia sac. In large incisional (‘giant’) hernias more skin problems (ischemia, necrosis and ulcerations) are observed and represent an indication for operation. The surgical treatment of hernias is already performed since Hellenistic times when Celsus performed hernial sac extirpations. The founder of modern hernia surgery is Bassini from Padova (Italy), who performed the first anatomic hernia groin repair in 1887 (Bassini, 1887).